Lebanese agree on shape of coalition cabinet – Hariri
Jul 30, 2009
BEIRUT: Lebanese politicians have agreed on the shape of a new coalition cabinet and will complete the allocation of ministerial portfolios within days, both Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier – designate Saad Hariri said Wednesday. Hariri aims to form a coalition cabinet which includes his “March 14” alliance with a rival coalition including the powerful Hizbullah and its allies. Berri said only “technical issues” remained, such as distributing ministerial portfolios and assigning minis
“The political process that is related to forming the government … it can be confirmed that it has been completed,” Berri told reporters after meeting President Michel Sleiman at Baabda Palace.
Hariri later held talks with Sleiman for more than an hour Wednesday, and told reporters: “The formula for the government is almost complete … we will work seriously, calmly and maybe a little faster to come out with a government.”
The main sticking point had been the opposition’s demand for 11 ministers in the cabinet, giving them veto power.
A senior politician told Reuters Tuesday there was agreement on dividing seats in a new 30-minister government in a way that would give neither Hariri’s alliance an absolute majority nor Hizbullah and its allies veto power.
President Sleiman would be given a decisive say by being allowed to nominate five ministers, including one Shiite to be approved by Hizbullah and its ally the Shiite Amal movement.
Hariri, who met Berri on Tuesday night, has said very little publicly about his talks.
A senior political source said the two agreed on the formula for dividing the seats in which Hariri’s coalition would get 15 seats, Hizbullah and its allies 10 seats, and five to Sleiman – the interior and defense posts, and three state ministers.
Hariri said the cabinet’s structure “allows for everyone’s participation. All teams are naming their own ministers making the government one of real national unity.”
Hariri’s March 14 coalition, defeated Hizbullah and its allies in a June 7 parliamentary election, winning 71 of 128 seats.
Berri said on Wednesday agreement was reached on the “guaranteeing role” of the presidency, the main direction and policies the government will undertake and its position on “national and resistance” issues, referring to the issue of Hizbullah’s weapons.
Hizbullah’s second in command Sheikh Naeem Qassem said Wednesday Hizbullah was satisfied with the outcome of the first phase in the government formation process.
“The adopted formula for the government’s shape allows effective participation in the context of what has been agreed on,” he told visitors.
“We must bolster national unity and mobilize all capacities to help resist occupation and revitalize economic and social sectors,” the Hizbullah number two said.
Qassem’s ally in the opposition Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, however, said on Wednesday that he did not discuss candidates or cabinet portfolios with anyone, adding he was not even asked for his opinion.
Aoun has demanded proportional representation in the Cabinet, according to shares in Parliament. He voiced demands for six ministers.
Also tackling the government formation process, Lebanese Forces (LF) boss Samir Geagea said the opposition’s demands for veto power were the “principal obstacle from the start, but it has now been eliminated.”
“The broad lines have been agreed on. What remain to be determined are the candidates and the portfolios. There are, however, some obstacles that are unfortunately driven by personal considerations,” Geagea told reporters.
“We will discuss with the president and the premier-designate the LFs’ demands for the future government,” he said.